Re: Scientific Method

From: allen wallace <alwallac_at_linknet.kitsap.lib.wa.us>
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 16:11:49 -0700 (PDT)


Philip Hibb

>

I believe that while RW scientific method is applicable to Glorantha, the conclusions that such science would reach would be different. Also, while good RW scientific discoveries such as Newton's laws stood the test of time well and only break down at the quantum and relativistic extremes, Gloranthan scientific laws would be much less versatile. The principles of science, though, would be much the same as RW. <

I really wanted to stay out of this one. Ah well.

Scientific Method would work in a magical world like Glorantha only if you can exert a great deal of control over magical influences. Scientific methodology is useful in controlled environments or when the statistical sampling is so large as to make negligible the effects of environmental effects not being tested for. Problem with a magical world is that there are conscious and unconscious invisible forces all playing merry hell with you test samples. The God Learners apparently were able to use there magical powers to negate some of this, though it could reasonably be argued that what they did was enforce an artificial base reality that eventually became unstuck.

Essentially the problem would be too damn many variables for useful quantitative analysis. It wouuld have to be really irritating to the experimentor, especially if a Trickster was anywhere about.

                                Allen  


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